Legends
by Solace in the Chaos
Summary: Friendship fic, Character Death.


**This chapter itself without my little note would be exactly 3000 words...and I'm quite proud of that fact. XD Uh, this idea popped up randomly and its going to be continued. I'm sorry for any mistakes that I may have made...and any filler sentences; I have a tendency to use those a lot. ^.^ Please read...and if you want to review, cause you're awesome like that!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto...hardship, eh?**

The ship's captain was pensive as he scanned the horizon for any sign of land. If they didn't? Nobody would know the difference if some cargo was lost overboard. He looked towards the cage and the animal sitting inside it. A little boy, about 8 years old sat cross-legged in it and his head angled towards the sun with his eyes closed. This was all he had ever known. When his father had been killed, something just broke loose from him; a blinding rage. He knew what he had done. He had not only killed the murderers, but the entire village surrounding. He massacred an entire town, and he didn't regret it. That was the entire reason for his being here, a prisoner until they found land, or until they couldn't sail anymore. In which case it would be a quick trip to the bottom of the sea...and to which he would not be returning. The small blonde turned his head away from the sun and looked directly at the captain. He pressed against bars, his cerulean blue eyes looking into the deep brown of the captain's. The captain gave an obvious shiver. It was as if a demon itself was looking into his soul. You could see the captain's throat constricting as he turned away nervously.

There was also another boy accompanying him in his journey of death. He had dark hair and dark eyes that glinted red in the light. He too had caused much chaos and pain. His older brother had helped him to grow stronger for the sole purpose of getting revenge for his clan's genocide. He had succeeded and for his crimes, he was to be either put to death or to be put in complete isolation, preferably on an island where nature and his own mind would take its toll. The same went the case for the raven's best friend; Naruto. He was the only one who understood the pain of true loss. Sasuke looked at Naruto to find him lazing against the titanium basking in the sunlight. Sasuke shook his head. He didn't know how he could be so relaxed when he was on the verge of dying...or being put to death.

~TS = 5 years~

The sailors only fed them enough to keep them alive, most of the bones were prominent and the skin stretched grossly across them. Even though they were kept outside they were given nothing to keep them warm during the freezing nights as they crossed oceans that had large icebergs that towered over the ship. Sasuke shivered and reached across the metal to grasp Naruto's arm. They would not die here, not now, after all they had lived through. Naruto's sunken cheek bones looked even worse as the blonde opened one eye. Sasuke noticed a tear that came out of the corner. It froze half-way down his face.

"Not yet." Sasuke said, with a dark determination in his eyes. "Not yet." Naruto's normally blonde hair was a frosty white from the humid air freezing on it. Naruto forced himself to grasp onto Sasuke's arm. Sasuke kept speaking, his voice like a mantra to Naruto. He felt his legs starting to freeze, then his arms; to the point of unconsciousness. Naruto woke up a few hours later to see that Sasuke's face was frozen, with his features contorted with pain. Naruto tried to get his hands to cooperate by squeezing on Sasuke's arm. This could not be happening. He growled, angry that he wasn't responding. He made his pointer finger move a bit and prod his arm. He felt Sasuke's hand give a slow response. Naruto's voice cracked as he tried to speak after a few frustrated sounds he finally was able to get his voice to a level that it was heard.

"I made it through, only because of you. Don't you dare die on me now."

Sasuke made a small sound of amusement. "I won't give up as long as you are here. You make things interesting dobe." Sasuke's voice was scratchy and very quiet.

With sad determination they made it through the cold.

After they had made it though the frozen lands and seas they made it to a place in the ocean where the water was to a point where it bubbled and steam curled up the sheets on the ship making them drip with condensation. Their magic users were working hard to keep the ship from breaking down. Naruto and Sasuke were very alert with the amount of energy that they were giving off. Naruto growled as his skin turned a pink colour. It was burning from the sheer amount of pure energy that the ship now radiated. Sasuke got up abruptly as he felt the burning of the wood against his skin. He glared at the burns that now glazed his skin.

"I would suggest you stay away from the wood, Dobe. They did something to it." Sasuke said balancing on the bars along the bottom. They had been made resistant to the heat, so that they could not "melt" themselves out. How they would go about that they didn't know.

"Oh thanks, genius. Ya think you couldn't have told me earlier!" Naruto exclaimed while standing with his left foot on the bar with his right leg and his arms waving comically about. Sasuke chuckled at Naruto's antics. After a few days of travel there was an obvious change. Instead of the angry, turbulent waters that they were experiencing now the waters ahead had calm blue green waves. As the ship got nearer the waters soon started to swirl, forming multiple whirl pools all around. The sailors blamed the two of them for their misfortune. The angry waters mixed and churned with the cold; similar to the way a tornado would work. The only way they were going to get out alive was down the whirlpool itself. It would take them down on the side that they were on now and then they would stay at the bottom, which was like an eye, as the water re-filled it's deep wound. They made it past the large welts in the water and sailed into the blue green waters. It was beautiful. There were multiple islands that the water wrapped around them like a baby wrapped in blue blankets. Some even had steam and smoke pluming above them high into the sky.

The crew had found an island that would satisfy most of the their needs and they went ashore looking for them. The captain left behind two trustworthy sailors, who he knew would stay true to their word.

Later that evening the two who had been left behind decided to see what they had left in their stores. They were quite pleased when they found a large barrel of alcohol. It didn't matter what kind; it would do the trick. Plus no one would know it was them if they only took a small amount each. They cracked open the barrel and took a brimming mug each and after a few more they were more that a little giddy. They went upstairs in search of a good time and they stumbled up the stairs with the still heavy barrel, not caring as they splashed some of the brim. That was when they saw the two boys and sick smiles broke out over their faces. They placed the barrel down and the dark skinned one approached unsteadily up to them. Naruto and Sasuke could smell the alcohol on his breath.

"Demons...ready to give us a good time?"

The other one who had fair skin came forward with a mug in his hand. He leaned over the top and poured some of it onto Sasuke's head. He growled quietly as it ran through his hair and down his spine.

"Oh, sorry. Did you not like that?" He dumped the entire thing onto his head. The alcohol stung his eyes and made the open cuts along his body scream in agony. This time Sasuke stayed silent. Naruto looked over in worry at Sasuke. The dark skinned man walked towards Naruto. He had a small dagger in his hand and rust ran along the abused blade. He approached Naruto's cage and leaned against the side heavily bringing Naruto's attention from Sasuke to him. He reached his hand into the cage warily. Naruto backed away from his calloused hand. He grasped the chain around the blonde's neck and wrenched him towards the bars that kept him inside.

"Time we taught you a lesson, little one." With a sick smile he made a three cuts along the top of his cheek bone the dagger sometimes slipping and going deeper than originally meant. He laughed as Naruto struggled and sometimes screamed in pain. He switched hands and did the same to the other side. By the time he was done the blonde was unconsciousness and the blood dripped off of his face.

The entire time Sasuke had been forced to watch this happen. Sasuke felt disgusted with himself. Here he was and all he could do was nothing! He roared and hit the fair skinned man in the side trying to break Naruto's abusers attention back to him. The titanium stung with electricity and made his muscles seize up; but it didn't matter. Sasuke pulled his burned hand back into the cage. He had distracted the other one enough to look up. The drunk man whom he had hit stumbled back. He blinked in disbelief. The fair skinned man motioned for his friend to stop. The other sailor looked at him in question.

"I think that this has been enough, for one night." The fair one said. The dark skinned one wanted to protest but refrained.

The went back down into the hold without a single glance back.

"Dobe?" Sasuke whispered. "Come on, Dobe. I don't have patience for this!" Sasuke risked his burned hand again and reached between them and nudged Naruto. The electricity travelled from Sasuke's arm and into Naruto's body making him stiffen and his mouth open in a silent scream. Sasuke gave a sad smile. The electrical bars made him able to save Naruto, more than once. Naruto opened his eyes and glared at Sasuke.

"I was having such a nice nap, too." The dried blood on his face cracked as he spoke. Naruto seemed to realize this and reached a hand up to touch it.

"I wouldn't suggest you do that." Sasuke started. Naruto ignored him and rolled his eyes and prodded his face and winced in response.

"It will heal up just fine." Sasuke reassured. Naruto had his doubts; all of the other scarrs were pink and puckered. What would make the ones on his face any different? Naruto shrugged; he didn't even care anymore. He huddled up in the corner facing Sasuke and closed his eyes again. Sasuke duplicated his movements and they fell into an uneasy sleep.

When the captain came back on the ship later that night he was livid to find his barrel cracked open and to see the two teens huddled in the corners of the cage with obvious blood stains on the wood beneath the blonde's cage. He called the two sailors forward.

"Saji, Yuma – Bastards, show yourselves!" The two men came out from beneath. Their smiles glinted in the scarce starlight.

"You called for us captain?" The dark skinned one known as Yuma replied.

"Explain this mess!" The captain motioned over the cages and the alcohol that was on the deck.

"A little celebration one might say." Saji, the fair one said.

"Celebration? What for might I ask?" The captain was becoming angrier and in turn started walking towards them.

"A celebration for us succeeding in putting the demons back in their rightful position." Yuma said. The captain stopped walking and motioned for them to continue.

"They managed to escape from the cages and we put them back; it was all the Kyuubi's planning." The captain's eyes widened considerably. The blonde's idea? While he didn't doubt the possibility, he was certain that there was no way of escape.

"Escaped?" He questioned again.

"Aye, escaped captain." Saji confirmed with a nod.

The two bodies inside the cages stirred and looked from their position on the ship. They glared at Saji, angry that they would lie about something so important. The penalty for trying to escape? Death. The captain motioned for the sailors behind him to scatter. With glee one sailor walked towards the cage and tipped them over revealing the 8 spaced locks that lined across the bottom. The other beside him started to unlock them. The raven's first then the blonde's. The disorientated demons were dragged out of the cage by their hair. They were placed on their knees in front of the captain.

"Demons, the penalty for trying to escape is death. I'm sure that you knew of this." The captain said bringing out a short sword. "Yet you tried anyways, why?"

Naruto looked up in defiance. "We did not." The prominent cuts on his face were red and angry. The captain back handed him and sent him sprawling. The raven looked over at Naruto. All for justice. Sasuke shook his head. It didn't matter if it caused him pain. The truth is what mattered to Naruto.

"Don't lie to me demon. I know what they told me." Naruto sat up and wiped the re-opened wounds on his face. Another sailor on the other side dragged Naruto back to his position in front of the captain.

"I here-by sentence you to death, by the sword." The captain drew back the sword and drove it forward aiming for his heart. Naruto closed his eyes tight and awaited the death that was approaching fast; but it never came. Naruto opened his eyes to see Sasuke kneeling in front of him. His eyes flickered as the sword plunged through his chest. He grimaced and then smiled at Naruto. The sword was ripped from his body. Sasuke coughed up blood as his body fell towards the deck. It was like slow motion for Naruto and his movements felt slow as he reached up to catch him. Naruto sat there is disbelief as Sasuke's blood pooled around him, the warm blood seeping into his clothing.

"Sasuke…" Naruto started. "I'm so sorry." The blonde's entire frame shook with the force of his sobs. With his breathing still laboured he tried to speak. "T-that should have been me. Why did you protect me? I didn't ask you too!"

"It's alright Dobe." He breathed again. "I've had all I ever needed; a friend, a person who I could always count on. My body just moved on its own." His eyes rolled back before he forced himself to look at Naruto again. It was becoming harder and harder to focus on his face. Sasuke forced out a laugh as he wiped at Naruto's tear stained face, only making it worse with the blood that covered his hands. Naruto pushed harder on the wound trying to stop the profuse bleeding.

"You can't die Sasuke. I can't live without you, you are the only reason why I even tried to make it this far."

"Heh, well it can't be helped." Blood seeped and bubbled between Naruto's fingers. "You have to live for me, okay Dobe?" Naruto's tears stung his open wound. "Okay?" Sasuke's voice cracked and he sounded even more desperate than before. Naruto looked at him straight in the eyes. "I'll live for you, Sasuke." He said with determination that Sasuke had seen so many times before. Sasuke nodded his head and smiled.

"Thank-you, for everything."

"Sasuke?" Naruto shook him a little. "Sasuke?" Naruto shook him extra hard this time. "Don't leave me!" Naruto's tears stung his cheeks, but he didn't care. He pulled the body close to him and cried and screamed. The sailors that were surrounding them looked on in disbelief. No one had ever sacrificed themselves, in all of the people that they had killed. It was always begging for their own life, or offering things that they had. This was entirely new for them to see.

Naruto felt the familiar feeling of rage built up inside of him, until he was sure that he was seeing red.

"How dare you?" He whispered. "Why?"

The sailor's eyes widened; the blonde's teeth were bared and his canines seemed as if they had grown. The whisker marks on his cheeks, the ones that they themselves had put there were wider and much bolder against his tanned skin. With a growl Naruto stood up. His senses were heightened beyond comprehension; and he smelt the fear that radiated off them. Naruto put Sasuke down and stood up. He was shaking with the amount of energy that he was containing. They had killed the only one who had ever understood him, the only one he had ever loved since his father. He would never forgive them. Sasuke had taken care of him, and now he had no one. They had killed his first and only friend.

"You," Naruto seethed, "killed him." The crew were shaking quite visibly now. "ALL OF YOU!" He roared "KILLED HIM!" With the image of Sasuke burned into his memory he refused to see the look or terror in their eyes; he massacred the entire ship. Not one man was spared. The deck was slippery with the blood that he had spilt; the smell of death was strong. He stumbled towards Sasuke determined to see his face one more time before he passed out. He made it and fell to his knees. He huddled next to Sasuke's still warm body and decended into oblivion.


End file.
